


Traditions

by LyonsDen



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-09
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2018-01-08 02:14:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1127175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyonsDen/pseuds/LyonsDen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A very belated Christmas story! Jemma and Grant learn a little about each other at Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Better late then never? I started this story prior to the Holidays and never finished. I'm not extremely excited about it, but I was afraid if I never got around to posting it that it would be completely irrelevant by next year.

********  
  


Grindelwald, Switzerland is a beautiful little town in the Swiss Alps. It was packed with skiers from all over Europe who chose to spend their holidays on the slopes. S.H.I.E.L.D had been put on a two week assignment to take down a man who had developed a very dangerous weapon that ran on Gamma rays. After three days they had the man in custody and Fitzsimmons had desembled the weapon and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents took it away to the sandbox.

****

Because the team had completed their assignment, a week and half ahead of schedule, Fury allowed for them to finish the rest of their holidays in the chalet S.H.I.E.L.D had set up for them before returning to the Hub after Christmas.

****

Coulson, May, and Ward spent their time skiing. Fitz, Skye, and Jemma took their time to get a tree and decorate the chalet for the holidays. Then the team would go out and wander the streets before stopping for Hot Chocolate or the occasional mulled wine. The first evening the whole team went out for Fondue and somewhere after a few bottles of wine Skye decided that they should do Secret Santas.

****

Everyone agreed- even May, although she simply shrugged a shoulder.

****

* * *

********  
  


On Christmas Eve the gang went out into town to shop for their Secret Santas. When they returned May showed Skye how to make Älplermagronen, a german cheese casserole of sorts. Jemma played Christmas music while Ward and Fitz played chess. Coulson just sat by the fire with some homemade eggnog feeling at peace for the first time in a very long time. Everyone went to bed around 10:30 after Simmons won scrabble. They took advantage of the opportunity to sleep in large beds, on solid ground, without any threats hanging over head.

****

Which is why Ward, who had stayed up to read, was surprised to see Simmons walking down the stairs with her wool coat on.

****

“Going out?” asked Ward

****

Jemma jumped a bit. She hadn’t seen him in the dark. The only lights came from the Christmas tree and the dwindling fire, but apparently it was enough for Super Agent Ward to read by.

****

“You gave me a fright,” said Jemma taking a moment to catch her breath  “I didn’t realize anyone was up.”

****

“You didn’t answer my question.” Ward could tell by her posture that she was uncomfortable. Her shoulders were tense and her spine too straight. Not to mention she kept shooting glances longingly at the door.

****

“No, I suppose I didn’t” Jemma said in a strong voice with her chin held high. She was never evasive or terse and Ward had to give her credit for standing up to him. But, Ward was not going to let her out of the house in the middle of the night without knowing where she was headed. So he snapped his book shut, leaned forward so his elbows rested on his thighs, making sure his eyes never left hers and waited for her to continue.

****

“Fine, yes I’m going out,” with a roll of her eyes so dramatic that Grant couldn’t help but smile. She would make the worst spy, he thought. “Just for a short jaunt around town.”

****

“At 11:30 at night?” his words conveying his suspicion.

****

“Yes. Now, that we’ve established that- I’ll let you get back to your reading.” Jemma Simmons knew evading Grant Ward was almost impossible but she held on to a little hope and headed over to the coat rack and tied a scarf around her neck, before sliding mittens over her small hands.

****

“You know,” Grant said as he pushed himself up and went to retrieve his jacket “I think I’ll join you for a short jaunt.”

****

* * *

****

****

It was a pleasant evening outside as they walked down the main street. Although quiet, there were  still a few people out and about going into bars for a drink or sipping hot chocolate under a heat lamp and heavy wool blankets.

****

“So Agent Ward,” Simmons started “What would you like for Christmas?”

****

“You can never have enough Black T-shirts” Ward shrugged.

****

Simmons nodded and continued her walk into town slowing down a bit. “So you finished your Christmas shopping then?”

****

“I had Fitz, he was surprisingly easy.”

****

“Really, I always find him a bit tricky. Anything he wants, he just builds” said Jemma exasperatingly. “I was happy we decided to do Secret Santas this year.”

****

Ward nodded half heartedly, he was paying more attention to Jemma who had stopped completely in front of small walk way that snaked its way up a hill between two buildings.

****

“Ward, I lied. I’m not just going for a walk.” said Jemma a light blush appearing on her cheeks that Ward doubted was from the cold.

****

“I know” he replied with a half smile “don’t go into espionage.”

****

“I think maybe it be best if you went back to the Chalet now.”

****

“No.” He said firmly.

****

“Pardon me?”

****

“You're being incredibly suspicious,” He leaned in closer and watched the emotions play out before her face, “and I’ve been formally trained to investigate suspicious behavior.”

****

Jemma pushed her mitten hands against his chest to put more distance between them. “Fine, but you have to promise not to laugh. In fact don’t say anything at all. And, you can’t tell anyone.” She then turned around and made her way up the hill.

****

One thing Ward learned about Simmons that night was that a angry Simmons was a very cute Simmons.

********  
  


* * *

****

****

“It’s a church.”

****

“Ward, please.”

****

“We’re going to Mass? You're going to mass?”

****

“Ward, _please_.”

****

The path had led up the hill to another road where a very small and simplistic church stood. At first Ward thought they were going to go around the Church, but was surprised to find Jemma heading straight for the door.

****

“But, I thought Science was your religion.” Jemma was about to pull opened the door but instead spun around and pressed a mitten clad finger into his chest.

****

“Science _is_ my religion.” She wasn’t particularly strong but Ward was fairly certain all her strength went into that poke.

****

“Then why are we here?” Ward was gesturing to the Church doors with one hand while his other hand rubbed his slightly wounded chest.  

****

“because….” Jemma stammered (and Jemma Simmons never stammered) “because it’s tradition and tradition matters.”

********  
  


* * *

****

****

“The reading is in German. Can you even understand what he’s saying.”

****

“Small children are acting out the birth of christ, I don’t need a translator to know what’s going on. Can you please just relax.”

****

“I’m still not sure I understand why we're here.” Ward was looking around now taking in all the faces of the locals. The church was small- maybe only able to hold 80 but not a single seat was empty.

****

Ward did relax eventually, but only slightly. He had been to religious ceremonies before, but always undercover, or on a mission, or (more frequently than he cared for) a funeral. Ward’s family did not have a ounce of faith in them. In fact, Ward was almost positive that his older brother was only capable of worshipping himself.

****

“Right now my mum is singing Silent Night.” Jemma interrupted his thoughts. The priest was reading his sermon now. And, Ward knew Jemma was only taking the time to talk to him because she finally couldn’t recognize what the priest was saying.

****

“How can you know that?”

****

“Because her mass is just ending and the parish in Pickering always ends Midnight mass with Silent Night.”  

****

Jemma had only mentioned her family a handful of times. Although, Ward thought, that handful was ten times more than anyone else on the plane talked about family- himself included.

****

“My mom used to drag me church every Christmas Eve.” Jemma then switched the sound of her voice that although she kept it at a whisper the pitch became much higher.    _“Jemma no wearing jeans to church. Jemma leave your biology books in your room. Yes Jemma you have to go- it’s tradition.”_  She wagged her finger and scrunched up her nose as she said this.  

****

Ward smiled and laughed “Your impressions never fail to amuse me”. Jemma returned the smile for a moment, before it slowly slip off her face.

****

“I miss her.” She went to kneel, as did the rest of the parish. She folder her hands on the pew in front of her and without looking at Ward whispered “I miss her and my Pa. I feel a little closer to them here.”

****

It made sense to Ward why Jemma had try to sneak out that night. Jemma wasn’t like other Agents. Agents were recruited because they had no family and no one would notice their absence from society or because they were born and bred to be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Some how Jemma Simmons had slipped through the cracks. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who had family and unconditional love- who had ever heard of such a thing?

****

Ward became quiet for the rest of the service. He didn’t pay the priest any attention but instead watched Simmons. She knew when to kneel and when to stand and when to sit again. When the Swiss recited Our Father in German, she recited it in English. When she went up to receive communion, Ward watched as she stood in front of the priest and took her bread before stepping aside to stand before the altar and give the sign of the cross. It was similar to watching May practice her tai chi- a sequence of movements that had been forged to memory.

********  
  
  


* * *

****

“Ward? Are there any family traditions you miss?” Ward and Simmons were making their way back to the Chalet now. The Christmas lights were the only signs of life in the small village. Simmons had slipped a bit on the ice coming down the hill and Ward had offered her his arm for balance. Ward kept thinking about how much he liked Simmons arm wrapped around his.

****

“I can’t think of one tradition my family had- besides working for S.H.I.E.L.D.. We hardly even celebrated Christmas. It’s nice though what Skye and Fitz are doing.”

****

“Not a single Tradition, really? Pickering is full of tradition.” Jemma smiled at the thought of her home town.

****

“Do you miss those tradition- ” Ward stopped so that he could look at one of the bright Christmas Trees “knowing they’re happening and you're not apart of them?”

****

“No. It’s comforting to know that someday when I return to Pickering nothing will have changed.” Jemma stood next to him and decided she liked the way the lights danced across his skin.  “Do you know I knit something for my mom every Christmas?”

****

“I can not imagine Dr. Simmons, with her two PhDs knitting.”

****

“Don’t laugh!” Jemma lightly smacked his arm “I started when I was 12 and once, when I was busy with my dissertation, I didn’t have time to knit her anything. She was so upset. She wouldn’t say so, but she was. So now I knit her gifts in the summer, so if things get busy in the fall I’ll still have a gift for her.”

****

The atmosphere changed then and Jemma noticed that no longer was Ward in a merry mood, but instead his jaw had clenched and he turned to look anywhere but at her.

****

“Ward are you okay?” Jemma lightly placed her hand on his shoulder “Have I’ve said something wrong?”

****

“No... _No_.” Ward turned back to her. His face still hard “You’ve been perfect. I just... I wish I had a family like yours. People who cared for me enough to knit christmas scarves in July. Or go to Christmas Mass in another country, just because they’re thinking of me.” He took a moment to gain control over his feeling. “It’s really nice what you do Jemma.”

****

“It’s okay, Ward. You have the team now. Maybe we aren’t family by blood but wherever the team is and wherever the bus is, that’s home now. We’ll just have to make our own traditions.” Jemma used her bossy tone, which made Ward smile once again.

****

“I’d like that. I’d like that alot.”

****

* * *

********  
  
  


“I wanted to have you.”

****

“Excuse me?”

****

Jemma faced scrunched up in confusion as she passed Ward, who was holding the door to the chalet open for her.

****

“I wanted to have you,  for Secret Santa.” Ward unbuttoned his jacket and took off his gloves and hat.

****

“Why?” Jemma sat on the bench to pull off her snow boots.

****

“I don’t know. I thought you would be fun to shop for.” Ward shrugged.

****

“Well luckily there is always next year.”

****

“Right, next year.” Ward leaned against the door jam as he watch her finish disrobing all her outer layers. “You headed to bed now?”

****

“I have one last thing to do- then bed.” Jemma smiled and moved to pass Ward.

****

“Look” Ward said pointing a finger above Jemma’s head. Jemma looked up and giggled at the sight of mistletoe hanging above them.

****

“Oh Skye must have-”  Ward wasted no time in stealing a kiss from her. Had he waited any longer she would had started babbling about the importance of Mistletoe in the ecosystem. She panicked slightly at first. But, Ward slid his hand up and down her back in such a comforting manner that she couldn’t help but relax into the kiss.

****

Ward pushed Jemma away gently after a few moments. He watched briefly as her mind tried to catch up with her body’s reaction. It was amusing and he couldn’t help but let a grin spread over his feature.

 

“Now, that is a tradition I can get used to.” Ward said, turning away from Jemma and retreating to his room.

********  
  


* * *

****

****

The next morning everyone unwrapped their gifts. Ward had enjoyed watching Fitz blush when he opened his present- a stuffed bear named Mishka. Simmons (who looked like she hadn’t slept a bit) received some local tea. Skye, a charm of the Bus that was designed to attach to her S.H.I.E.L.D. bracelet. Coulson was given Captain America boxers and May some of her favorite whiskey.

When Skye came over to him and handed him his present he was almost certain it was more black T-shirts. But instead when he open it he found a very soft cream colored scarf. The part that touched him the most was the fact it was hand knitted. With a note that said:

****

_Traditions Matter- So here’s to making new ones_.

 


End file.
